


The Paladin Prince

by hyperInactive



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Altean Lance (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Siblings lance and allura!!, also violence bc theyre fighting in giant space lions, also with lance, heavy pining is gonna happen, idk what else to tag, klance is gonna happen i love these boys with all my heart, theres gonna be swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-09-26 03:18:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9859775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyperInactive/pseuds/hyperInactive
Summary: Keith didn't know what to expect when he followed the weird energy in the desert. He never thought he would end up in space, with three aliens, piloting a giant sentient robot lion.  The strange part is, he doesn't hate it.(otherwise known as: the altean lance au i really wanted to write)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So quick note: i use he/him for pidge right now, but thats because theyre still disguised as a boy, i will switch to gender neutral later on.   
> also this is mainly gonna be Keith's pov, but i will switch occasionally

Keith didn't know what to expect when he followed the weird energy in the desert. He certainly didn't expect discovering a cave with carvings of an odd lion, and he absolutely didn't expect the code on the walls to be decipherable. But they were, and as the days and weeks passed, Keith was able to decode it and read a message telling of an arrival. He knew it had something to do with those lion carvings. So when the ship fell from the sky, he was simultaneously ready and as far from ready as possible. Something was going to change tonight, he could feel it. So he watched as the Garrison got to the ship first, and carefully placed his homemade explosives where he knew they would draw their attention away from guarding whatever was inside. Then he hid, and set them off.

They worked like a charm, sending the Garrison guards reeling and getting them away from the covered tent. Keith grabbed his hoverbike and rushed to the tent, making sure his bandanna was in place around his mouth. He went in fists first, just how he liked it. Taking out the guards, he ran up to the person strapped on the table and hurriedly got ready to cut the straps. Then his eyes traveled upwards, and despite the new scar on his nose and the white patch in his hair, he was unmistakable. 

Keith didn't expect the person in the tent to be _Shiro_. 

He hurried to cut him free and get him off the table, propping Shiro on his shoulder and starting to move to the door when two others hurried in, both in Garrison uniforms. There was a short boy with brown hair and glasses, and a larger boy wearing a yellow bandana around his head. The shorter one rushed towards Shiro, and Keith instinctively put his free hand on his knife. The boy backed up slightly, but was still uncomfortably close to Shiro. 

“Who are you?” Keith managed to grunt, still struggling to keep Shiro upright. The boy ignored him, instead choosing to ask Keith dozens of rapid fire questions, including why Shiro was here, what happened to his arm, and if he had said anything about the rest of his crew. 

“Do you think I know any of that? He’s unconscious.” Keith rolled his eyes. Then the sound of rumbling alerted him to the Garrison trucks coming back and he cursed under his breath. The larger boy sighed and moved forwards, taking Shiro under his other arm and starting to move towards the door. They managed to get Shiro onto Keith’s hoverbike, with the small boy asking more questions about whether Keith had made it or not, and the other two looked nervously at the Garrison dust clouds approaching.

“You uh, wouldn't mind us catching a ride with you, would you? We can’t really go back after that, thanks Pidge, and you seem to have a place to go to so…” The larger boy trailed off. Keith sighed, and gestured to the back of his bike as he got on. He of all people understood the shitty Garrison leadership, and highly doubted these two would be let back in if they were caught. So he waited until they climbed on, the bike tilting a little as the bigger one was helped up, and spurred the bike forwards. They sped off, and Keith couldn't help a grin. This bike was his element, and with Shiro back he felt better than ever. 

They got to his shack in no time, taking a detour off a cliff to avoid the Garrison much to the terrified chagrin of his unexpected passengers. Almost immediately after stopping the bike, the larger boy rushed off to the back of the house holding his mouth. The smaller boy shuddered, then stuck his hand out to Keith.

“Pidge Gunderson. Sorry about making you get us out of there, but if the Garrison caught us who knows what would have happened.”

Keith shook his hand, then grabbed Shiro off the back of the bike and started to carry him inside. 

“I’m Keith. So, what were you two doing out there anyway?” Keith asked. He didn't fully trust these guys, after all they met about ten minutes ago and they were from the Garrison, but they also weren't actively mean to him. He could at least get his curiosity taken care of. Pidge looked at the ground.

“For the past few months, I’ve been tracking radio signals throughout space. Originally they were too faint to even be real, but I once I upgraded my computer, which I built myself, I could hear words. They were aliens.” Keith raised an eyebrow, but the boy didn't pause in his story. “Tonight, I was up on the roof like usual, but it turned out that our fighter pilot, some guy who thought he was a better pilot than he actually was, had dragged Hunk out to get me and ‘bond as a team’ as Iverson kept yelling at us to do. They followed me up there and badgered me for what I was doing, but he called me crazy when I told him. Then the ship came down. I had been hearing the radio get increasingly agitated for days, and I knew this was huge, so I dragged them along to get closer.”

“So, if you dragged your fighter pilot with you, why is it just you and...Hunk was it? Why isn't the pilot here too?”

Pidge’s face darkened slightly.

“Because he’s a coward, that's why. We got to the cliff above the crash site, just in time to see them carrying Shiro out on a gurney. Now, I was convinced the Kerberos mission wasn't pilot error, and seeing him tonight made me so mad. The Garrison was lying to everyone, and when i hacked into the camera feed inside the tent I saw the werent even listening to what he had to say about aliens! About Voltron! So I wanted to rescue him, but our pilot, even though he idolized Shiro as much as the next fighter pilot, didn't want to risk it. So he left us behind to get caught and expelled, and I convinced Hunk not to follow him.”

Keith felt a little hope that these guys were okay, after all if they thought how he did regarding Kerberos, then they aren't truly with the Garrison anymore. He set Shiro down on the couch inside and sat in the chair next to him. Pidge adjusted his glasses and watched Keith.

“So what’s your story?” He asked, and Keith stiffened slightly. 

“I’m a pilot.” He said, and crossed his arms. Pidge frowned, but let it go at that. Then he went back outside, probably to check on his friend, and Keith closed his eyes, wary but confident that he would wake up at any noise. 

* * *

Something clattered to the floor and Keith shot upright, eyes opening immediately. He saw Hunk kneeling to pick up a pot, smiling at Keith apologetically. Keith groaned, then paused as he noticed Shiro’s hand twitch. He rushed to the side of the couch.

“Shiro? Shiro are you okay?” He said, and the older man opened his eyes slightly. His mouth curled into a small smile.

“I’m...I’m alive.” Shiro said, groaning as he tried to sit up. Keith helped him, leaning him against the arm of the couch. 

“I have some food ready, can you eat?” called Hunk from the kitchen, and Shiro perked up.

“Who’s that?”

“One of the two guys who helped me rescue you. Are you hungry?”

Shiro nodded, and so Keith got up and went to the kitchen where Hunk was plating pancakes and Pidge was sitting on the counter.

“How did you make pancakes?” Keith asked, since he never really stocked his cupboards. Hunk shrugged.

“I improvised.”

“They taste great though.” Pidge cut in, waving his half-eaten pancake in the air. Keith took a plate and went back out to Shiro. He found him trying to stand up, but as he was handed the pancakes he sat reluctantly back down. 

“You can get up once you’ve eaten, you look underfed.” 

Shiro chuckled darkly. 

“I guess that's one way to put it.”

About half an hour later, Shiro was up and about, although still shaky. Keith had managed to hold off asking any questions, although he was incredibly curious, but now as Shiro wandered outside, he followed.

“It’s good to have you back.” He said, walking next to Shiro. 

“It's good to be back.” He replied, his hand clasped around his metal arm. Keith put a hand on his shoulder.

“So what happened out there? Where were you?”

“I wish I could tell you. My head's still pretty scrambled. I was on an alien ship, but somehow I escaped. It's all a blur. How did you know to come save me when I crashed?”

Keith turned back to his shack.

“You should come see this.”

Once he had Shiro situated back in the main room of his shack, Pidge and Hunk trailing in too, he pulled a sheet down that was hiding his bulletin board. Shiro whistled.

“What have you been working on?”

Keith explained to Shiro and the others the energy that he had felt. He showed them the lion carvings and how they told of Shiro’s arrival last night. Shiro turned to Pidge and Hunk.

“I suppose I should thank you for getting me out of there.” He stuck out his hand. Pidge shook it, but Hunk started asking Keith whether aliens were going to come invade Earth. 

“I’m Pidge, the nervous guy’s Hunk. So, did anyone else in your crew make it out?”

Shiro sighed. “I’m not sure. I remember the mission and being captured. After that, it's just bits and pieces.” Pidges face fell almost imperceptibly. Hunk physically cut in between them. 

“Yeah, sorry to interrupt, but back to the aliens. Where are they now? Are they coming? Are they coming for us? Like - where are they at this very moment?”

“I can't really put it together. I remember the word "Voltron." It's some kind of weapon they're looking for, but I don't know why. Whatever it is, I think we need to find it before they do.”

There was that word again. _Voltron_. Pidge had mentioned it the past night. It all had to be connected. Then Hunk showed his true colors, pulling Pidge’s diary out of his bag (to the indignant cries of the shorter boy) and telling the others excitedly about the Fraunhofer line hidden in the codes. Keith was a little shocked. Could Hunk really track this energy? 

Turns out, yes, he could. The group of four soon stood on the rocky outcropping that Keith had first felt the energy from, and Hunk’s makeshift ‘Voltron Geiger Counter’ was picking up a reading. They followed it through the valleys, until they came to the cave. The one where Keith found all the carvings of that blue lion. Today, it felt different though. It wasn't as...empty of an energy as it normally was. It almost felt alive. And yet, Keith was still incredibly surprised when the carvings on the walls suddenly lit up a vibrant blue. The four of them were encircled by a large glowing rune, and then the floor crumbled beneath them. 

They landed in water, but that wasn't the part that took Keith’s breath away. Towering in front of them was a large blue lion, encased in a glowing bubble, like a giant force field. This was where all that energy was coming from.

“...Is this it? Is this the Voltron?” Pidge asked, approaching the field hesitantly. The others followed behind, but Keith eyed the lion warily.

“Does anyone else feel like it looks...angry? I don't think we should be here.” He said, and Hunk shivered in agreement. Shiro, on the other hand, joined Pidge at the force field.

“It wouldn't have dropped us down here if it didn't want to, but why I’m not sure.”

“I wonder how we get through this.” Keith said, placing his hand on the translucent blue surface. Shiro followed suit, favoring his non-metal hand. Pidge eagerly pressed both hands to the bubble, tapping on it and examining the square patterns floating across it. Hunk, ever the rational thinker, waited to touch it until it was proven to not be dangerous, but his curiosity won out and he tentatively rested a hand on it. Almost immediately, they heard a low roar and visions flashed in their minds. Lions, five of them, connecting together into Voltron. 

“Uhh, everyone just saw that right? I wasn't the only one?” Pidge asked, and received nods in return. 

“Voltron is a robot. A huge, huge, awesome robot!” Hunk cried excitedly. 

“And this thing is only one part of it! I wonder where the rest of them are.” Pidge mused.

“This is what they’re looking for.” Shiro said in awe.

“Incredible.” Keith said. 

The force field began to dissolve then, working from the spot where they were standing. The four stepped back in shock. Keith was still certain that the lion didn't want them there, but the anger was gone. He shook his head, it was just a ship, it couldn't be angry. But if he didn't know better, he’d say that its expression was now resigned, and he stepped slightly closer. 

The lion roared, and all four of them scrambled back, Keith and Shiro instinctively in a fighting position. But the lion just crouched down and opened its mouth. Keith relaxed slightly. 

“G-guys?” Hunk said. “I really don't think we should just-”

Keith cut him off by entering the lion. Inside was the cockpit, with a large blue pilot's chair in the middle. He sat down in it, and he heard a growl in his mind that slowly stopped as the rest of the group came clambering into the ship. The pilot's chair was way too far away from the controls, but as soon as the thought passed through his mind, the chair shot forward at an uncomfortable speed, like the lion was reluctantly listening to him. 

“Okay, guys, I feel the need to point out, just so that we're all, you know, aware. We are in some kind of futuristic alien cat head right now.” Hunk said, as he joined Pidge and Shiro behind the chair. It really put into perspective how weird this was, but as Keith put his hands on the controls, all that was forgotten. There was….a voice? No, not really, but the lion was talking to him somehow. He was right, it was slightly angry. As the feelings continued to flow through him, Keith understood. He wasn’t supposed to be flying this lion, but he had to. He wasn't sure why, but the lion made that much clear. 

“Keith? What's wrong?” Shiro asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Nothing. Its..talking to me, that's all.”

Keith pushed forward on the controls and the lion bounded forward. He grinned. Then the lion burst out of the cave, moving forward faster than Keith was making it go. It flew through the air, flipping and rocketing into the sky.

“Make it stop!” Hunk cried, covering his mouth. Keith tried, but it didn't slow down.

“I can’t, it’s like it’s on autopilot!” 

“Where are we going?” Pidge asked as the lion shot towards space. Keith’s grip tightened on the controls.

“I’m not sure. I think it's saying that there's an alien ship nearing Earth. I think we need to stop it?”

“Well if this thing is the weapon they're coming for, why don't we just, I don't know, give it to them? Maybe they'll leave us alone. Sorry, lion. Nothing personal.” Hunk said, shrugging. Shiro sighed. 

“You don't understand. These monsters spread like a plague throughout the galaxy, destroying everything in their path. There's no bargaining with them. They won't stop until everything is dead.” He said, his face deadly serious. Keith couldn't remember the last time he’s seen Shiro look like this. Hunk gulped. 

“Oh. Never mind then.”

They exited the atmosphere, and almost immediately a giant warship burst into view. Shiro stiffened. 

“They found me.”

“We’ve got to get it out of here!” Pidge cried, and Keith spurred the lion forward. He wasn't entirely sure how to fly it, but the things the lion told him seemed to do the trick. He pressed a button and the tail of the lion shot a laser at the ship. Keith grinned. He fired at the ship until he realized that this wasn't doing all that much, and they were still too close to Earth for comfort. He turned the lion around and urged it forward towards the outer solar system. The alien ship followed them, but it wasn't attacking them. It was worrying, but at least they weren't in any immediate danger. Soon they passed a planet. 

“Where are we?” Keith asked.

“Edge of the solar system. There's Kerberos.” Shiro replied, and all the others stared in awe. 

“It takes months for our ships to get out this far. We got out here in five seconds!” Pidge said incredulously. 

Before anyone else could comment, a portal opened in the middle of space. Instinctively, Keith pulled back on the controls, but the lion didn't slow at all. In fact, it growled at him in his mind the more he tried to stop. 

“What is that?” Hunk asked, his question echoed by the rest of the group.

“...I think the lion wants us to go through that.” Keith said. Pidge leaned closer to the window of the cockpit.

“Where does it go?” He wondered. Keith gripped the controls tighter.

“I don't know. Shiro? You’re the senior officer here, what should we do?” He asked, turning his head to look at Shiro. 

“Whatever is happening, the lion knows more than we do. I say we trust it, but we're a team now. We should decide together.” He said, looking around at everyone. Pidge was determined, nodding at Shiro, but Hunk hesitated slightly before agreeing as well. Keith knew he wanted to go through, sure he was nervous but he had nothing to go back to on Earth in the first place. So he pushed the lion forwards and they entered the wormhole. 

* * *

The trip was nauseating, and the minute they reached the other side, Hunk bent over and threw up. The lion audibly sighed in Keith's head, while Pidge groaned and simply remarked that he was surprised it took so long. Keith just stared straight ahead. They were approaching a planet, green and lush. The lion obviously knew where it was going, was this its home?

All of a sudden, a castle came into view. It had five large sections, and the lion was making a beeline straight to the courtyard in front of the main section. Keith tightened his grip on the controls as they touched down on the ground, dust rising around them. They exited the lion carefully.

“Keep your guard up.” Shiro said, walking in front.

“Something wrong?” asked Pidge, and Shiro just stared straight ahead.

“My crew was captured by aliens once. I’m not going to let it happen again.”

Suddenly, the lion roared loudly, startling all four of them and causing Hunk to cry out in fear. The large doors in front of them opened, apprehension setting deep in Keith. What was this place? Why did the lion bring them here? Hunk, however, visibly relaxed.

“Oh, the door is open. Guess I was wrong about you.” He said, looking at the lion. They all walked through the entryway, into a large room with a grand staircase. Hunk called out a ‘hello’, earning a glare from the other three. 

“From the size of the lion, I expected the stairs to be bigger.” Pidge said, adjusting his glasses. 

All of a sudden, a light blue glow appeared around them, and a computerized voice rang out.

“Hold for identity scan.” It said, and Keith shivered. He had a bad feeling about all this, but there was nowhere to go but down the hallway that lit up once the computer was done. He wasn't sure what the scan saw that had let them through, but it did nothing to ease his nerves.

They walked through the hallway, eventually entering a large room, with windows opening over the entrance where the lion was still standing. Pidge immediately went to a small pedestal, examining it and remarking that it looked to be a control panel of sorts. But for what? Suddenly, parts of the floor opened and three pod things rose up. There seemed to be...people inside them. 

“Are these guys dead?” Hunk asked, but nobody answered. Keith doubted they were dead, why would there be dead bodies in those pods, but they also weren’t moving. Until suddenly they were. One of the pods opened, revealing a young boy with dark skin, white hair, and fancy clothes. His eyes fluttered open as he started to fall forward, revealing deep blue eyes that matched the small triangles underneath them. Since he was the closest to the pod, Keith ran forward to catch the boy before he hit the ground. The boy propped himself on Keith’s arms and looked at him, somewhat sleepily.

“Who...who are you?” He asked. 

“Uh, Keith.” He answered, starting to stand up. Then the boy's eyes flicked to the side of Keith’s head, staring slightly.

“Your hair…” He said, the staring making Keith slightly uncomfortable. Keith looked at the boy's own hair, snow white and short. A fleeting thought ran through his brain, saying that it looked really soft, before he shoved it to the side. 

“What about my hair?” Keith asked defensively. The boy frowned.

“It’s hideous. What’s wrong with it?”

Keith dropped the boy unceremoniously to the ground. However, the impact seemed to snap the boy out of his half-asleep haze, and he sprang back up in a fighting position, watching Keith and the others warily. 

“Who are you? Where is King Alfor? How did you get into the castle?” He asked, and Keith sighed. He _could_ fight, even though the boy was taller than him he seemed to be less muscular. But Shiro’s voice in his head reminded him that looks can be deceiving, and so he settled for crossing his arms.

“A blue lion brought us here. That's all we know.” He said, noticing how the boy’s eyes brightened slightly and his stance relaxed.

“Blue’s here? How did you get her here, where’s her-” He was cut off by the opening of the pod next to him, which held a girl with the same dark skin and hair. She fell forward much like the boy had, crying ‘Father!’ as she did. He ran to catch her, and she also seemed to still be somewhat asleep as she looked at him uncertainly. 

“Who...Lance?” She asked, and the boy (Lance?) grinned. 

“Yeah ‘lura, it's me. We’re fine.” 

Her eyes moved to Keith and the others, and they narrowed suspiciously. 

“Who are they?” She asked, and the boy looked up too. 

“They say that Blue brought them here.”

The girl stood up, still slightly shaky but her back was straight. 

“How do you have the Blue Lion? What happened to its paladin? What are you all doing here?” She demanded, and her second question seemed to finish what the boy was wondering too. Paladin? The word seemed familiar, maybe it was one of the things the lion mentioned, but Keith had no idea what it was or why it was important that the paladin be here with the lion. The girl’s face fell as the silence dragged on, mirrored by the boy. 

“Unless...how long has it been?” She wondered, her voice soft, and Shiro stepped forward. 

“We don't know what you're talking about. Why don't you tell us who you are? Maybe we can help.” He said calmly, and the girl let out a breath. She stood up slightly straighter, although still a little shaky, and the boy kept a hand on her arm. 

“I am Princess Allura of planet Altea, and this is my brother, Prince Lance. I’ve got to find out where we are and how long we’ve been asleep.” She said, and Keith did a double take. The boy was a prince? Keith found that hard to believe. Sure, his clothes looked royal, and he had what could be a crown of some kind, but his personality was not nearly as regal as Princess Allura’s. Nevertheless, he stood behind Allura as she placed her hand on the control panel that Pidge had been inspecting. Immediately, a screen rose up, holographically displaying words in a language that Keith had never seen before. Pidge watched in rapture.

“Oh, so that's how that works.” He mused. While the Princess was working with the screen, the final pod opened, revealing a man who looked drastically different than the other two. His red hair and pale skin told Keith immediately that he was not related to the Prince and the Princess, at least not by blood. He fell with a groan to the ground, nobody close enough to catch him, but got back on his feet quickly and locked eyes with Keith.

“Enemy combatants!” He shouted, lunging at Keith, who easily sidestepped. Lance looked back at the noise and snickered, watching as the man shouted at Keith, trying to intimidate him. Keith tuned him out. Then Allura held up a hand, silencing the man and recapturing Lance’s attention. 

“It can't be…” She said slowly. Lance turned back to look at the screen too, his face paling. 

“What is it?” The man asked, walking towards them. 

“We’ve been asleep for 10,000 years.” She said, and all three of them were now staring at the screen. “Planet Altea and all the planets in our solar system have been destroyed. Lance, Coran, Father is gone. Our entire civilization…” Her face filled with rage, while Lance looked on with a heartbroken expression. 

“Zarkon.” She growled, and Shiro stiffened. 

“Zarkon?” He asked, stepping forward and holding a hand to his metal arm. All three Alteans turned to him.

“He was the King of the Galra. A vile creature and enemy to all free people.” Allura explained. Shiro’s eyebrows narrowed. 

“I remember now, I was his prisoner.” He said.

“He’s still alive? Impossible!”

“I can’t explain it but it's true. He’s searching for a superweapon called Voltron.”

Allura crossed her arms over her chest. Over her shoulder, Lance glanced out to the window, where the lion was waiting in the courtyard. His expression was sober.

“He's searching for it because he knows it's the only thing that can defeat him, and that's exactly why we must find it before he does.” She said. 

The room fell silent, Allura having nothing else to say for now, and everyone moved to do different things. Keith hung back next to Shiro, watching as Coran tried to cheer up Lance and Allura. Hunk and Pidge were over by the door, discussing something about the odd green goo that was apparently food. He glanced up at Shiro. After everything that happened, he hadn't had much time to appreciate having him back. Shiro was the closest thing to family he had ever had, and losing him for that year hurt Keith more than anything. Shiro was watching the Princess closely. 

“I can't believe your civilization created such advanced technology 10,000 years ago. It must have been an incredible place.” He said, attracting the attention of the Alteans. Coran smiled sadly. 

“Yes it was...but now it is gone and we are the last Alteans alive.”

Keith noticed Lance and Allura embracing, burying their faces in the other’s shoulder. As rude as Lance had been when he first woke up, Keith couldn't help but feel bad for him. Keith never had anything to lose until Shiro, but Lance and Allura had just lost everything they had ever known. 

They were interrupted by the sound of squeaking coming from the pod that Allura had been in. She ran over, kneeling down and crying out in shock. 

“Maybe we’re not the last after all!” She said, standing back up with four oddly colored mice in her hands. She was watching them fondly, and Lance and Coran seemed happy to see them too. 

The happy air in the room was shattered quickly though, when the lights flashed red and alarms began blaring through the castle. While everyone started to panic, a shout from Coran confirmed the worst. 

The Galra had found them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry ive been gone for so long...i got sidetracked by another project and im still not done with it. ill explain more in the end notes. Anyway!! this chapter is mainly lance's pov, i honestly dont know how im gonna work with switching pov's, but it'll probably only be keith and lance unless i really need a chapter from someone else.

Shiro was the first to react, striding forward and asking Allura what they should do to find the remaining lions. She turned to Coran, who had been estimating how long it would take for the Galra ship to arrive. He announced that according to his calculations (which Keith noticed he did on his fingers) they had a few days, and then motioned to the center of the room. 

“King Alfor connected the lions to Allura’s life force. She alone is the key to the lions whereabouts.” He said, as Allura stepped onto a pedestal. Immediately, a map materialized around her, with five coloured lions floating around it. Lance pouted behind her.

“Why don't I get a lion connected to my life force?” He asked, and Allura rolled her eyes.

“First off, you technically already do, just not in this sense. Second, because I’m older.”

As everyone turned their attention back to Allura, Keith noticed Lance mockingly repeating ‘because I'm older’, and struggled to hold back a laugh. 

Pidge leaned closer to where the Blue Lion stood.

“These are coordinates. The Black Lion looks like it's in the same location as the Blue Lion.” He said, pointing. Coran popped up behind him.

“Look at your primitive synapses firing away in their little brain cage.” He said, and Pidge looked back, unsure whether he was being complemented or insulted.

Allura smiled at Pidge, and said that indeed, the Black Lion was in the castle.

“To keep the Black Lion out of Zarkon's hands, King Alfor locked it in the castle. It can only be freed if the other four lions are present.” Coran added. Allura cleared her throat.

“As you have found, the Lions choose their pilots. It is a mystical bond and cannot be forced. The quintessence of the pilot is mirrored in their lion. Together, they form something greater than science can explain. The Black Lion is the decisive head of Voltron. It will take a pilot who is a born leader, and is in control at all times, someone whose men will follow without hesitation.” She turned to Shiro. “That is why, Shiro, you will pilot the Black Lion.”

As Shiro stared at the small model of the lion, Keith couldn't help but laugh a little.

“Shiro can’t work a toaster, much less lead Voltron.” He muttered, and only Pidge heard him, snorting softly under his breath. Allura continued, turning to Pidge.

“The Green Lion has an inquisitive personality and needs a pilot of intellect and daring. Pidge, you will pilot the Green Lion.”

Pidge grinned, and Keith, in the few short hours he had known Pidge, could tell it was a good fit.

“The Blue Lion-”

“-Is taken by the most handsome and talented pilot of the bunch.” Lance interrupted, winking. Allura sighed.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Lance. Moving on to the Yellow Lion. The Yellow Lion is caring and kind. Its pilot is one who puts the needs of others above his own. His heart must be mighty.” She turned to Hunk. “As the leg of Voltron, you will lift the team up and hold them together.”

Keith felt his stomach twist. The only one left was the Red Lion. Allura faced him.

“The Red Lion is temperamental and the most difficult to master. It's faster and more agile than the others, but also more unstable. Its pilot needs to be someone who relies more on instincts than skill alone. Keith, you will fly the Red Lion.”

That wasn't so bad, Keith was expecting a little more responsibility than ‘the instincts guy’. Lance scoffed quietly under his breath and Keith shot him a glare. Why he hated Keith, when all Keith had done was drop him on the floor after he insulted his hair, Keith didn't know. 

Then Allura frowned.

“Unfortunately, I cannot locate the Red Lion's coordinates yet. There must be something wrong with the castle. After 10,000 years, it might need some work”

“Don't worry, we'll find it soon. They don't call me "The Coranic" for nothing.” Coran stated, pausing. When no one said anything, his grin fell and he explained, “ It's because it sounds like "mechanic. So... Coranic, mechanic. It's not - It doesn't sound... _exactly_ like it. It's similar.”

At that moment, all five of the small holographic lions roared, and ran towards Allura, combining into one large robot. 

“Once all the lions are united, you will form Voltron, the most powerful warrior ever known, the Defender of the Universe.” She said, and the four humans stared in awe. 

“Awesome!” Hunk said. Then he started rattling off questions about how the transformation works, and if he could go to the bathroom, Shiro cut in. 

“We don't have much time. Pidge and I will go after the Green Lion.”

Pidge nodded. Allura turned to Lance.

“Lance, you take Hunk to get the Yellow Lion.” She said, and Lance grinned in agreement. Shiro turned to Keith.

“Keith, you stay here. If you manage to locate the Red Lion, go get it.”

Keith nodded. He was only joking earlier, he knew that Shiro was a good leader. It showed now, he and Allura making a plan immediately and everyone following. He was a little surprised that Lance was following orders so well, but then again he was a prince. He was probably used to it. Coran took Shiro and Pidge to the side to get a pod ready for them, and Lance wandered over to Hunk. Keith watched them, curious. Hunk was quiet at first, but Lance said something and it got him laughing. After that they were chatting like old friends. Keith frowned, wondering again why Lance didn't seem to like him. Not that he cared, really, he just seemed to get along fine with everyone else despite being an alien they just met. 

Lance and Hunk left then, leaving Keith alone with Coran and Allura.

* * *

Lance, at first, wasn't sure how to feel about the new Paladins. They seemed nice enough, even Keith who just dropped Lance on the floor after Lance made an honest comment on his hair. Even still, thinking of them as Voltron Paladins was odd. They weren't who he remembered.

He liked Hunk, though. He had laughed heartily at what was, admittedly, one of Lance’s worse jokes, and so Lance immediately decided that he was his favorite. He found himself chattering to Hunk as they made their way outside to where Blue was waiting, just about how excited he was to fly her. 

“So...have you flown a lion before?” Hunk asked as they left the Castle. Lance ran up to Blue, the smile on his face so wide it hurt. She knelt down, eyes flashing as her mouth opened. Lance looked back at Hunk, who was watching slightly in awe. 

“It’s a bit of a long story, but yeah.” Lance said as he led the way into the cockpit. Hunk followed him, staring regretfully at a spot in the corner. Lance looked and immediately wished he hadn't. 

“Who threw up in my Lion?” He asked. Hunk grinned sheepishly.

“Sorry dude, the wormhole...messed with my stomach.”

Lance shrugged, pressing a few buttons that caused a small layer of water to flow from a hidden vent, washing the evidence of Hunks ‘incident’ away. 

“I get it, your first jump is _always_ the worst. It gets a lot easier.” He said. 

Lance stood Blue up, and prepared to fly while the transmission from the castle appeared on the console. Allura was standing at the helm of the Castle, ready to open a wormhole. He grinned, she really looked like a princess like that. It hurt, to not see King Alfor behind the helm, but Lance simply gripped the controls tighter and accepted the wave of reassurance that Blue washed over him. He had missed her, in the cryo-pod. He wasn’t conscious, of course, but he had still felt...something. Some semblance of his connection to Blue, getting stretched thinned and thinner. It really was kind of a long story, how he got connected to Blue in the first place, but it wasn’t all that complicated.

Coran’s voice through the transmission startled Lance out of his reverie. Two swirling wormholes opened in the sky above, and Lance guided Blue towards one.

“We can only keep the wormholes that lead to the other lions open for two of your Earth hours, so you'll have to be quick about your work. The good news is that according to my readings, both planets are relatively peaceful. So, if you do get stuck, they could be relaxing places to live out the rest of your lives.” He stopped, paused as this sank in with a bright grin on his face. “Well, enjoy the trip!”

“Coran!” He groaned, hearing similar shouts of protest over the comms from the pod with Shiro and Pidge. He liked Pidge too, but he hadn't had a chance to talk to him like he had Hunk. Speaking of, Hunk was currently covering his mouth as Blue shot into the wormhole. Lance watched him only somewhat warily, hoping he wouldn't throw up again. After a few seconds in the wormhole, he relaxed.

“Huh.” He said, taking his hand off his mouth. “It’s a lot smoother of a ride this time.”

Lance smirked back at him.

“‘Course it is! I’m surprised you guys managed to get Blue off the ground in the first place.”

“I mean, Keith was the one doing the actual flying so I don't know how hard it was for him but it was absolutely _horrible_ on my stomach.”

Lance rolled his eyes. _Keith_ tried to fly Blue? Red and Blue were probably the most different of the lions, personality-wise, no wonder the ride was so bumpy. 

“Yeah, Blue doesn’t like anyone but her Paladins flying her.” Lance said, patting the console. She purred in his mind. “I can see why she had to let him though, considering I was frozen in a cryo-pod and…” He trailed off, smile dropping off his face. Hunk frowned, stepping towards Lance.

Blue then exited the wormhole and Hunk toppled forward, landing face first on the ground. He got up with a groan as Lance turned the seat around to make sure he was fine.

“Are you okay?” They said at the same time. Hunk laughed as he stood up.

“I’m fine dude, I’ve had worse falls. Are _you_ okay, though?” He said. Lance smiled, ignoring the pain he felt. He had to be strong, for the four aliens that had no idea what they were doing, who signed on to fight a war that Lance had seen begin. Sure, he missed the ones that...didn't make it ten thousand years, but as Hunk looked at him as if he had been his friend for infinitely longer than half an hour, Lance felt slightly better. 

“Yeah. I’m good.”

Blue began circling the planet below them, scanning for the energy of the Yellow Lion. They had vague coordinates, but the exact location was still something they had to find since Yellow was deep underground. Lance leaned back in his seat, letting her do her thing. 

“So…” Hunk started, “What is the story? When did you fly a lion before?”

Lance rested his head on his hand as he let himself remember the day Blue chose him. 

“It was right after Voltron was made. Allura and I were young, practically infants, and we were at the unveiling of the Lions. Crowds of hopeful Paladins were there, waiting to be chosen.” He smiled. “Blue was the first to choose.”

Hunk’s face brightened as it dawned on him. 

“It chose you.” He said. 

“Yeah. She did. However, like I said, I was practically an infant. So Father requested that Blue choose again. She reluctantly agreed, I was no age to pilot and _certainly_ no age to fight in any war. Even still, we were bonded. You can't just undo that.” 

“So you still learned to fly?” Hunk asked. Lance proudly sat up in the chair, abandoning the slouch he tended to have when Allura wasn't in the room. 

“Yep! The real Blue Paladin was really great. She would take me out flying during times when she had no duties, and she taught me the ins and outs of flying a Voltron Lion.”

“That's so cool!” Hunk said, and held out a hand in a fist. Lance looked at it. Was he trying to punch him? Hunk laughed awkwardly.

“Right...aliens. Just sorta, bump your fist against mine. We use it either as a greeting or a way to be like ‘wow nice!’” He explained, and a grin broke out on Lance’s face as he followed Hunk’s instructions. He liked learning about these alien things. He turned back around as Blue spoke in his mind, a simple, faint _‘here’_ telling him she had found the Yellow Lion. He took the controls again, leaning her forward a little to head towards the surface. The dry desert terrain rose up to meet them, and Lance wanted to laugh at how easy this was going to be. 

Then a shot hit Blue in the leg. Followed by more and more, as Galra fighter ships came into view below them. 

“ _Quiznak_!” Lance cursed, jerking Blue to the side and wincing at the yelp that Hunk made, “This isn’t very _peaceful_ Coran!”

He was forced to fly evasive patterns through the sky, trying to get as close to the ground as possible. There was a cave that had been dug out, and it was pretty obvious that was where Yellow was. Hunk was practically being thrown around the back of the cockpit, and Lance was shouting apologies with every sharp turn. A missile hit Blue in the side and she plummeted to the ground, pulling up at the last second. Lance sighed. He needed help. He pushed his mind closer to Blue’s, something he had been told not to do until he was actually a Paladin. Something about interfering with Blue’s other bond. That obviously didn't matter anymore. His mind connected with Blue’s, not quite fully but more than it had been, and he heard her voice clearer than he ever had before. She told him that he would never have an opening to land at the cave entrance. There were way too many ships around. Lance grit his teeth, that was what he didn't want to hear. It was exactly what he had been thinking, and he turned slightly to yell to Hunk. 

“Hey so uh, you might not like what I’m about to say.” He said. Hunk made his way closer to the pilot chair. 

“As long as you don’t drop me down there, I’m fine.” He said, panting slightly. Lance grinned sheepishly at him. 

“I’m dropping you down there.”

“Wait, what? Lance, buddy, c’mon, don’t-” He was cut off by Lance pressing a button that ejected Hunk from Blue. Lance saw him roll a few feet before picking himself up and running towards the cave, and Lance let out the breath he had been holding. Then he settled Blue down in front of the cave and began to hold off the Galra forces. Was he nervous? Of course he was. He was a prince, and a young one at that, he had never been allowed anywhere _near_ a battle. King Alfor forbade it for him and Allura. This was his first real fight, no matter how confident he seemed. He gripped the controls tighter, and set off drawing the ships away from Hunk. It seemed that very few of them had noticed the figure rolling to the cave, and so most of them followed him as he flew around, the ones that didn't were easy to shoot down. Their missiles were a pain, any time they hit Blue, she faltered a little. Lance guessed it was because she had been out of commission for thousands of years, but it was still a problem. 

Lance kept glancing back towards the cave entrance, praying to the old gods that Hunk would emerge soon with Yellow. He could use the extra defensive power right about now. He shot another ship down, seeing a flash out of the corner of his eye. He looked over, and time slowed down. 

A missile, heading straight towards the cave entrance. 

An explosion. 

The cave collapsed. 

Lance shouted for Hunk, the desperate cry hurting his throat, and he felt tears pricking his eyes. Sure, he just met Hunk. He knew next to nothing about him. But his sister was a sister, Coran was like his weird uncle, and he had no one else anymore. Hunk...had quickly become his best (and pretty much only) friend. Now, Lance didn't know if he was still alive. All because Lance couldn't do his job. He didn't protect him well enough. 

He landed in front of the rubble at the cave entrance, baring his teeth in harmony with Blue. She tried to comfort him, but the only voice he heard in his head was from his past. She would have known what to do. She wouldn't have let the Galra ships get anywhere near the Cave. She would have made sure Hunk got out of there okay. Lance gripped the controls tighter as a tear made its way down his cheek. 

“Why did I ever think I could do this, Blue?” He said, watching Galra ships make their way towards him. He’s already failed and it's been, what, an hour? 

_Because you are my Paladin_ , Blue whispered, urging him to fight. He methodically shot down the ships, but refused to move from the mouth of the cave. 

“No I’m not. She was. She had training, years of it.” He paused. “I miss her.”

Blue didn't answer, she just purred. It sent a soothing rumble down Lance’s spine. 

Then a missile hit Blue right in the face, causing her to stumble back and alarms to blare. Lance hurriedly started to run diagnostics, all while still shooting ships, but he never was a good multi-tasker. Dozens of ships rose over the cliff, and Lance’s stomach sank. There was no way he could outrun those missiles. He watched as they fired, and closed his eyes, simply taking comfort in the way Blue wrapped her mind around his. 

The missiles struck, but they didn't hit Blue. Lance’s eyes flew open, registering a large Yellow mass in front of Blue. He whooped and punched his fist in the air.

“You okay, Lance?” Hunk asked, his face appearing on Blue’s console. 

“Hunk!” Lance cried. “I thought you were dead! You jumped in front of all those shots to save my life!” 

Hunk looked slightly guilty.

“Well, actually I was trying to get out of the way. Luckily what this lacks in speed it makes up in armor!”

Lance couldn't hold back a grin. Hunk was alive, he didn't screw up. “Yeah, Yellow can really take a beating.”

Allura joined Hunk on the console.

“Paladins, I can only keep the wormholes open for a little longer. Hurry back!” She said, before disconnecting the call. Lance turned back to Hunk.

“We have to go.”

Hunk nodded and the two lions took off, shooting ships but mainly just making a break for the rip in the sky. They made it just in time, and Lance was amused by Hunk yet again trying to keep from being sick in the wormhole. They spent the trip mainly in silence this time, both catching their breath. When they made it back to Arus, spotting the Green Lion in front of the Castle, they settled their own lions next to it. Lance waited for Hunk to exit Yellow before going back into the Castle, and when Hunk did exit it was on shaky legs. 

“Oh man, I’m gonna need to get used to that.” He said, finally steadying himself. 

“Yeah I remember my first time flying. You just need to get your space legs.” Lance reassured him. Hunk grinned and they started walking inside.

“You know, apart from the whole almost dying part, that was pretty fun.” Hunk said, and Lance clapped him on the shoulder.

“There you go! That’s the spirit.”

“It was cool to hear about you, too. You’re interesting.” 

Lance raised an eyebrow. 

“I mean, you don't really act like royalty? You’re really chill. I think we’re gonna be good bros.” Hunk finished. Lance couldn't help but agree with him, except for one detail that he didn't get.

“Allura always got mad at me for not being Prince-ly enough. I _hated_ learning about diplomatic policies of other planets, and I often distracted Coran enough to get him on an varga long tangent of the textile nature of a Benile’s tail. Quick question though...what is a ‘bro’?”

Hunk laughed. 

“It's like, short for ‘brother’. We use it to mean ‘best friends’.”

Lance couldn't help the bright smile on his face. 

“In that case, I think we're gonna be good ‘bros’ too, Hunk.”

As they entered the main control room, they found the others all standing around the map again. Allura brightened as they walked in.

“You made it!” She said happily. Lance walked up to her and draped himself over her, slumping down.

“Barely.” He groaned, holding back a smile as Allura struggled to stay standing. “We almost _died_ , ‘lura. I thought Coran said those planets were _peaceful_.”

Allura finally managed to detach Lance from her, to the amusement of Pidge, Hunk, and Shiro. Keith just watched silently. Lance didn't know what his problem was, he obviously didn't like Lance. Which is crazy, since who wouldn't like Lance?

“It’s been ten thousand years, some things were bound to change. You made it back in one piece, I’d say that's a win.” She said, but Lance caught the small twitch of her lips that meant she wanted to laugh. She hated laughing at Lance’s antics, but he was proud to know that she had to physically stop herself. If she was just meeting him now, they would probably genuinely annoy her, but growing up with someone tends to make their dumb jokes somewhat funny.

“Yeah, we had a tough time too.” Pidge said, sharing a look with Shiro that obviously said _‘our mission was so much easier’_. Lance stuck out his tongue at him, a gesture that was immediately returned. That settled it, Pidge was his second favorite new paladin. 

“So,” Shiro said, “have we located the Red Lion yet?”

“Allura just located it.” Coran answered, twirling his moustache. “There's a bit of good news and a bit of bad news. The good news is, the Red Lion’s nearby! The bad news is, its on board the Galra ship now orbiting Arus. But wait! Good news again, we’re Arus!”

Lance knew he was trying to lighten the blow of having a Galra ship right off planet, but these earthlings were smart and weren't that easily thrown off track. 

“They're here already?” Shiro said, eyes widening. The others looked confused, but Lance put a hand on Hunk’s shoulder. His eyes were screaming that he was scared. Coran looked around sheepishly.

“Yes, I guess my calculations were a bit off. Finger counting is- it’s more of an art than a science really-”

He was cut off by a transmission appearing on the screen. Lance’s blood ran cold as a large Galra with a glowing red cybernetic eye began addressing them. He saw Allura’s gaze harden, as did Shiro’s. 

“Princess Allura, Prince Lance, this is Commander Sendak of the Galra Empire. I come on behalf of Emperor Zarkon, Lord of the Known Universe. I am here to confiscate the lions. Turn them over to me, or I _will_ destroy your planet.” He said, his low voice growling as his eye flashed. Then the message disappeared. 

_Quiznak_ , Lance thought. This was really not good.

“Okay, let’s not panic.” Shiro said, trying to calm down Hunk.

“Not panic? Th-The scary purple alien thing is driving his battleship toward us. We only have four lions-”

“-Technically only three working lions.” Pidge cut in. Hunk whirled to face him, half accusing and half thankful.

“Yes, thank you Pidge. _Three_ working lions, and a castle that’s, like, ten thousand years old!” 

Lance didn't know what to do. Hunk had a valid point, that they didn't have all five lions, but they couldn't _not_ fight. 

“Actually, its 10,600 years old!” Coran interjected, and Lance sighed internally. “You see, it was built by my grandfather-”

“Thank you, Coran. Thank you for that. This is the perfect time to panic!” Hunk was flailing his arms, and Lance really didn't know how to help. Thankfully, Allura knew the technology of the castle better than he did, and came to the rescue.

“Wait! The castle has a particle barrier we can activate.” She said, and everyone turned their eyes to her. 

“Would that work?” Lance asked. After all, the Galra had most definitely improved their technology over the millennia and who knows how long the barrier would last. 

“The particle barrier won’t hold against Sendak’s ion cannon forever. The Galra technology must have advanced since we fought them last.” Coran said, confirming Lance’s worry. Silence rang through the room for a few seconds.

“Um...panic now?” Hunk asked, and Lance pursed his lips. He was just about to say that they just needed a plan, when Shiro beat him to it. 

“Well, uh, I say we just pop through a wormhole and live to fight another day.” Hunk said. Lance frowned. “I mean, we tried to find all the lions, right? We gave it the old college try. Couldn't do it. We only have three. We can't form Voltron. I guess we could form a snake. Or a worm! To go through that hole.” Hunk was rambling, and Lance could just tell how scared he was. He wanted to let him go, honestly, since he didn't want to force Hunk to be here. But they needed him. 

“No.” He said forcefully, and he was only a little surprised when Pidge crossed his arms too.

“We can’t just abandon Arus.” He said. “The Galra will keep destroying planets and taking prisoners until we stop them.”

Lance squinted at Pidge and Hunk started to argue his escape plan more. There was something in his eyes, something Lance had seen before. Being royalty, he had to know how to read people, and right now Pidge’s eyes and posture just screamed that there was more to him. He was angry that Hunk wanted to leave, and why would he be angry unless he had personal stake in this? Lance wasn't sure what it was, but now he was curious. 

Keith got involved in the argument then (thankfully arguing to stay), and the noise was really starting to get to Lance. He saw Allura staring at the ground, and he could practically hear the thoughts speeding through her head. Everybody just needed to stop screaming at each other. So what does Lance decide to do? Scream at everybody, just louder. 

“Everybody _shut your quiznaks_!” He yelled, causing a blissful second of silence. Allura leveled him with a stare, used to his cursing but unapproving, while Coran had a scandalized look on his face. Keith raised an eyebrow at him.

“Uhh...it doesn't sound like you’re using that word correctly.” He said. Lance rolled his eyes.

“And how would you know that?” Lance retorted. Keith shook his head and turned back to the others. Lance bristled at being brushed off, but simply crossed his arms and readjusted his cape. 

“We are staying.” Keith said forcefully. Hunk’s hands were covering his face.

“Leaving!” He argued. 

“Staying!” Pidge shouted, raising himself on his toes. 

“Snake!” Hunk yelled, flustered. Lance’s head was reeling at all the commotion, and he was sure that Allura was worse. After all, Lance may be a paladin, but he wasn't the leader. He saw Shiro growing annoyed too.

“Guys, stop!” Shiro shouted. He turned to Allura. “Princess Allura, these are your lions. You've dealt with the Galra Empire before. You know what we're facing better than any of us. What do you think is the best course of action?”

Allura looked up, her eyes shining with worry. 

“I...I don't know.” She said. She looked to Lance, asking him the same question wordlessly. He looked back sadly.

“I don’t know either.” He said. Lance knew that both he and Allura wanted desperately to stay and fight. To avenge Altea. But after so many millennia, did they even stand a chance? Coran stepped between the two, placing his hands on their shoulders.

“Perhaps your father can help.” He said softly. Lance and Allura looked quickly back at him, eyes widening in tandem. 

“Father?” They said. Coran simply smiled and led them out of the control room. Lance was a little wary leaving the earthlings alone there, but he had to trust them if they ever wanted to try and form Voltron. Coran led them through the hallways, down to a secluded room that Lance couldn’t remember ever being in. He was sure he had been here at some point, but he couldn't remember what was inside. In the center of the room was a pedestal.

“Coran? What is this?” Allura asked. 

“King Alfor knew there was a chance he might never see you two again. So, his memories, his very being, were stored in this computer for you.” Coran said with a smile. Then he turned left Lance and Allura alone. 

As soon as Coran left the room the pedestal lit up, forming a hologram in the shape of King Alfor. 

“Father!” The two siblings cried in unison, and Lance felt tears prick at his eyes. 

“Allura, Lance, my children. How I’ve missed your faces.” Alfor said. Allura stepped forward.

“I’m so frightened. A Galra ship is set to attack, and I don’t know what to do. Please, Father, we need your help.”

Alfor sighed.

“I scattered the Lions of Voltron to keep them out of Zarkon's hands. Both of you urged me to keep them and fight, but for the greater good of protecting the universe, I chose to hide them.”

While he paused, Allura looked at the ground in thought. Lance wasn’t sure where he was going with this, was he going to tell them to do the same? 

“I...think I understand.” Allura said, causing Alfor to chuckle lightly.

“No, daughter, you two were right. I made a terrible mistake, one that cost the universe countless lives. Forming Voltron is the only way to stop Zarkon. You must be willing to sacrifice everything to assemble the lions and correct my error.”

Lance was almost crying, and he saw tears in Allura’s eyes as well. They had to go get the other paladins ready. It was hard to leave the room, to leave their father, but the looming threat of the ship overhead gave them a needed push. 

Then Allura decided she needed to change. Lance looked at her exasperatedly as she pulled out her own armor. She just raised her eyebrows.

“What? I’m not letting you do all the work while I sit around in my fancy dress. You get armor, why shouldn’t I wear mine?” She said, and Lance shrugged. She made a good point. 

As soon as she had her armor on, the two made their way back to the main deck, where the earthlings were waiting. Lance let Allura go in first, since she was….basically in charge now. 

“You paladins were brought here for a reason. The Voltron Lions are meant to be piloted by you and you alone. We must fight and keep fighting until we defeat Zarkon. It is our destiny. Voltron is the universe's only hope. We are the universe's only hope.” She said, and Lance couldn’t help but marvel at how put-together she seemed. He knew she was scared, he was too, but you never would have thought it from looking at her. Shiro nodded at her.

“We’re with you, Princess.” He said. Allura then led them all down to the armory, where five suits of armor waited. As the four earthlings walked up to them in awe, Lance walked up to the blue armor slowly. He placed his hand on the glass, staring sadly at the armor that she must have left behind before leaving Altea. Yes, seeing all the other armor hurt too, but….Myra was different. Lance was closest to her. 

“Your suits of armor.” Allura said, and the others began opening the glass to get at their armor. Lance laughed as he saw Hunk awkwardly measuring whether he would fit into the armor, and he quickly walked over to whisper in his ear.

“Don't worry buddy, it’ll adjust.” He said, and Hunk visibly sighed in relief. Lance darted back over to the blue armor, finally steeling himself to open the glass. He didn’t miss the sympathetic look Allura shot at him, but he straightened his back and changed quickly. He left his crown on and his helmet off for now, and instead turned to look at the rest of the new paladins. They had finished changing, and they really looked like Voltron paladins. 

Allura then called everyone over to a table, where the familiar paladin weapons lay. He tuned her out as she explained what they were, and instead let his gaze travel over each one. In Lance’s mind, there was only one form each should take, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about what his bayard would look like. When Allura opened the case, he grabbed the blue bayard and almost immediately it formed itself into a gorgeous longbow. Lance grinned. Now ,em>this was a weapon. 

He glanced over at the others. Hunk was marveling at his massive cannon-esque gun that he was lifting with ease, and Keith was experimenting with his sword. Lance looked down at Pidge and grinned at the small dagger-like bayard. He knew it was probably a lot more powerful than it looked, but he couldn't help but tease him about it.

“Aww, you got a cute bayard.” He said, and Pidge looked up at him with a devilish grin. He swung his bayard at Lance and caught him in the chest, where Lance felt electricity arc up his body. It hurt like _quiznak_. 

“Yeah, cute.” Pidge said with a smirk, and Lance stood back up, glaring jokingly at him. Lance looked back at Allura, who was walking towards Shiro. Lance felt his stomach drop. 

“Shiro, I’m afraid your bayard was lost with its paladin.” She said, and Lance frowned. He knew they shouldn't tell Shiro, but still. It wasn't lost, they knew where it probably was. They just couldn't get it. Shiro shrugged it off, saying he would make do. Then they all want back to the main deck. The Galra ship was approaching Arus quickly, which means they didn’t have much time to plan. Lance gripped his bayard tightly as they approached the window, which zoomed in to show them the attacking fleet. This all felt too familiar, except last time he was on a different planet, and he wasn't the one in the armor. Last time, the invading ships had won. 

This time, Lance would make sure they didn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry for being gone so long holy shit. I had a really good idea and i started it and suddenly it was a month later and i had 72 pages written? anyway its not even done yet and therefore i crave the End. but i decided in honor of Jeremy Shada's comment on Altean Lance at wondercon, i had to update this soon so here we are! hope you liked it! (We are still not done with episode one oh my god)
> 
> if you want, you can find me on tumblr!! my main is @rorzeebubbles, and my fanfic update/writing blog is @rorzee-ebubbles!

**Author's Note:**

> So i definitely wont be using as many actual lines from the show later on, this was just to keep the same plotlines going while they were getting to space ya know? I think next chapter is the last time I'll be using a lot of actual lines. 
> 
> speaking of which, i dont know when the next chapter is gonna be out, I dont have a lot of time to write. I'll try to get it out soon though!


End file.
